Improvement in buggies



C. T. STODDARD.

Buggies. No, 137,577l PatenteiAprilJss.

allowing great freedom of movement.

. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CALVIN T. STODDARD, OF COLEBROOK, NEWr HAMPSHIRE.

IMPROVEMENT IN BUGGIES.

Specication forming part of Letters Patent No. 137,57*?, dated April 8, 1873; application .filed March 30, 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CALVIN T. STODDARD, of Uolebrook, in the county of Goos and State of New Hampshire, have invented cert-ain Improvements in Buggies and other vehicles; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing making part of this specification:

Figure l being a side view of a buggyr provided with my improvements, the near wheels being removed; Fig. 2, a rear view of the buggy; Figs. 3, 4, and 5, detailed views of parts.

Like letters designate corresponding parts in all of the figures.

The main feature of my invention consists in the arrangement of the springs in connection with the a-xles of the buggy or vehicle, substantially as hereinafter specified.

Let A represent the body of the buggy or other vehicle. I will describe the arrange'- ment of the springs as applied to the hind axle B: There is an upper spring, C, represented as a half-elliptic spring, which issecured to the rear bolster a of the carriagebody, and situated in line over the axle. Beneath the axle is another similar spring, D, arranged in line therewith, substantially as shown. These two springs reach nearly to the hind wheels E E, and areconnected together and with the axle at their ends by coupling-yokes Gr Gwhich respectively surround the axle B close inside of the hubs of the wheels. They are fastened fixedly to the axle by set-screws b b or their equivalent. There are eyes or holes c c at the ends of these coupling-yokes in which play links cl d which connect the ends of the springs therewith, thus These yokes curve close over the inner ends of the wheel-hubs, as shown. In order to connect these two springs, C D, at the middle, so that they may act together and keep their positions above and belowthe axle B firm and secure from lateral displacement, there are two vertical guide-rods, H H, one on each side of the axle, the same being united to the springs by clips or clamp-nuts f f, as shown, or by equivalent means. The front springs I J are arranged in a similar manner, by yokes K K, upon the forward axle L, except that the upper spring I is connected with the fifth wheel M under the forward bolster g; and under the middle of the lower spring J the connecting-rods N N terminate in a pivot, h., which turns in a bearing, t', in the forward end of the reach-braces 0 O, as shown most clearly in Fig. 4, in order to allow the front axle to swing around in turning the buggy. reach-braces are, or may be, connected to the rear coupling-yokes Gr Gr on the hind axle, and extendforward obliquely so as to unite in one at the front end, in which the eye or bearing t' is formed. The forward ends, where united, bend downward somewhat for the purpose; and to this part is connected, or may be, a brace-rod, P, which extends obliquely upward andl backward to the under side of the body A, and is secured thereto, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. A similar brace, R, extends from the lower clip f, under the middle of the lower spring D ofthe hind axle B, obliquely upward and forward to the body A. These rods brace the lower springs D J in their position, and make the whole arrangement strong and secure. The shafts Q Q are, or may be, connected to the middle of the front yo'kes K K of the front axle, being secured thereto by eyes or projections therein, or otherwise.

Another part of my invention consists in a device for preventing the entrance of sand and dirt into the axle-boxes of the wheels, as shown in Fig. 5, which represents a section of a hindaxle box, S, and a part of the hub T. The inner end of the axle-box projects beyond the 4hub in conical form, or inclined toward the center of the axle B, as at p. This projecting portion of the axlebox also projects. over or surrounds a collar, r, of the coupling-yoke Gr, as represented; and just beyond the termination of the projection p there is an annular groove,s,in the collar r. The yoke may curve or bend outward over the projection p, as indicated. The action of the projection p, collar i, and groove s, is to cause any sand or dirt which may be thrown upon the axle-box to slide down the inclined or tapering surface of the projection p into the groove s, and thence to fall olf to the ground, thereby preventing any from entering the axle-box.

The above speciled arrangement of springs These Y ride in, sinoe there is little or no side vibraaxles BL, and guiderods H H N N, substam tion or jolt. It is also thereby stronger and more durable, since the Whole Weight of the carriage-body and load bears on the axles close out to the hubs of the Wheels, and the parts may, therefore, be made lighter, with less liability to break.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

V 1. The combination and arrangement of the springs O D I J, coupling-yokes G Gr K K,

tially as and for the purpose herein speeied. 2. The inclined projection p, yoke-collar r, and sand-groove s, substantially as and for the purpose herein specified.

Specification signed by me this 24th day ot' January, 1872.

' CALVIN T. STODDARD.

Witnesses:

DAMON J UDD, WILLIAM MCKXNNON. 

